Packages such as cylindrical cans for containing a particulate product under pressure, such as roast and ground coffee, are representative of various articles to which the present invention is applicable. It is well known in the art that freshly roasted and ground coffee evolutes substantial amounts of oils and gases, such as carbon dioxide, particularly after the roasting and grinding process. Therefore, roast and ground coffee is usually held in storage bins prior to final packing to allow for maximum off gassing of these volatile, natural products. The final coffee product is then placed into a package and subjected to a vacuum packing operation.
Vacuum packing the final coffee product results in reduced levels of oxygen in the headspace of the package. This is beneficial, as oxygen reactions are a major factor in the staling of coffee. A common package used in the industry is a cylindrical, tin-plated, and steel stock can. The coffee is first roasted, and then ground, and then vacuum packed within a can, which must be opened with a can opener, common to most households.
Packing coffee immediately after roasting and grinding provides substantial process savings, as the coffee does not require storage to complete the off-gas process. Also, the off-gas product usually contains high quantities of desirable volatile and semi-volatile aromatic compounds that easily volatilize and prevent the consumer from receiving the full benefit of the coffee drinking process. Furthermore, the loss of these aromatic compounds makes them unavailable for release in a standard container; thereby preventing the consumer from the full reception of the pleasurable burst of aroma of fresh roast and ground coffee. This aroma burst of volatile compounds is much more perceptible in a pressurized package than in a vacuum packed package.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a handled package for roast and ground coffee that provides a lighter weight, fresher packing, easier-opening, peelable seal, and “burpable” closure alternative to a standard heavy can.